Sheet-metal shaping and bending machine.



F. S. VERNON.

SHEET METAL SHAPING' AND SENDING MACHINE.

kPPLlCATlON FILED FEB- 1, I915.

mw m. Ptented. July 17, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

F. S. VERNON.

SHEET METAL SHAPING AND BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. h 1915- Patented July 17, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2- F. S. VERNON.

SHEET METAL SHAPING AND BENDIN'G MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1. 1915.

Patented July 17, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- F. S. VERNON. vSHEET METAL SHAPING AND BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB- I915- Patented July17, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

r A u wi/lmeooe/o M v MQ ZMM anew,

F. S.'VERNON.

SHEET METAL SHAPING AND BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. i. 1915.

l wfifimu Patented July 17, 1917. 5 SHEETSSHEET 5.

FRANK s. vEaNoN, or JAMEsrowN, NEW YORK.

ing metal sheets into tubular or open-sided to aid the sheet metal stock in molding; and the object of my improvement is to provide a progressive series of pairs of rolls to shape and bend and thereby form the sheet metal into the desired pattern or shape and placing rigid shaping and bending and guiding dies between the consecutive pairs of rollsto act simultaneously as guides and shaping and bending dies and to provide said fixed dies with. rollers therein passing through said fixed dies and at the same time to aid in shaping and bending said stock; and the invention consists in the novel features and combinations hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the connective gear side of themachine with the strip of sheet metal passing through the dies shaping and bending it to the desired form; Fig.2 is a side elevation of the opposite side of the machine from that shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine showing the fixed dies between the roller dies.

F ig. 4 is a perspective view of the first one of theseries of fixed dies removed from the machine and having the largest opening therethrough for guiding and shaping and bending the sheet'metal strip to the desired shape; Fig. 5 is, a perspective view of the second fixed die of the series, rollerdies being placed between the fixed dies; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the next fixed die, each of the three dies shown in Figs. 4,5 and 6 being provided with rollers for aidingthe stock through said fixed dies; and Fig. 7 is an elevationof the central portion of the die shown in Fig. 6, showing the relation of the spoolshaped roller-to the tongueof the die, which extends into the samewith tongue and groove efl'ect' to aid in shaping the sheet metal. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the fourth fixed die of the series; and

Specification of Letters Patent.-

SHEET-METAL SHAPING AND BENDING MACHINE.

Patented July 17, 1917.

Application filed F bruar 1, 1915. -Seria'l No. 5,372.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the last of the fixed dies'i'n the machine shown, each of the open dies 8and 9 being shaped to accomplis'h a certain portion of the work of shaping and bendingthe' sheet metal strip. The two} dies shown in Figs." Sand 9 are open topped 1 instead" of closed dies as shown in Figs. fl, Fraud 6, and do'not'require the aid of the roller.

ig. 10isat op plan view of the machine i of metal passing "there T through showingthe gradual shaping and with the sheet bending of the sheet metal untilit issuesin the desired form, as shownin Fig. 11, a

perspectivev view of the frame side "of a screen with a channel in the outer edgeand' in the side ofthe inner'edge and'the edges of the sheet metal'strip interlapped in the inner channel and said inner channel enlarged inwardly.

from and inverted showing the assisting roller thereon supported at each end by anthe top plate.

side 0 Fig. 13 is a'detail sectionalview'of the spaced blocks of the frame 13 and a top plan View of the journal blocks .there'between and portions of the roller dies which are journaled in said journal blocks, showingsaid journal blocks slidably held against roller die and the gear on the outer end of said, piece. Figs. 15 to 25, inclusive show in cross section, the strip in the several bending steps as it merges from the numerous I Fig. 12 is a perspective view of one of the top plates of the fixed dies removed theregular plates which are attached to the under roller and fixed dies; and Fig. 26 is an end elevation of the finished moldin f Like numerals of reference re e'r to corresponding parts in the several views.

The, machine is shown with a strong rigid upright frame v comprising a bed 10 having the leg supports 11 attached thereto.

The parallel top frames 12 and 13 are attached to the opposite sides of the top of the bed 10 by means of dovetail-shaped pro- I jections 16 which are received-'in dovetailshaped openings in the sides of the lower ends'of the series-of metal blocks 14 that make up the frames 12 and 13 by means of the connecting top, rails 15 which rails are attached to the upper ends of the blocks 14 by means of screw-bolts 17.

The metal blocks 14 are held a spaced distance apart by means of the dovetailshaped projections 16. Ineach pair of the roller dies 26 one is mounted above the otherin journal blocks 18 and 19 having coil springs'20 therebetween and an adjusting screw 21 bearing on the top of the block 18 through the top rail 15 with set nuts for holding said adjusting screw 21 firmly in position. This arrangement permits the v blocks 18 to resiliently move to and from blocks 19 except as limited by the set screws 21, the blocks 18 and 19 being slidably mounted in the-openingbetween the blocks 14, as shown in Figs. 2 and 13..

-The journal blocks 18 are formed as shown in Figs. 2 and 13 with flangedextensions on each vertical inner side which bear against the blocks 14 of the frame 13.

The journal blocks 19 for the lower rolls are formed in substantially the same shape as blocks 18 and rest upon the dovetailshaped projections 16 "on the bed plate 10. The journal blocks 18 and 19 preferably have small openings not shown in their upper and under sides to receive the ends of the coil springs 20 so that said coil springs on the side bearing-the intermeshing driving gears 22, are provided with j a short socket shaft 23 to which the gear 22 is keyed, a socket 24 being provided on the inner end of the short shaft 23 having a key-way 25, and the roller die 26 is provided with a short shaft end 27 which has a feather key thereon fitting into the key-way 25. It is now apparent that when it is desired to change the roller dies 26, the toprail 15 is removed permitting the journal blocks 18 and 19 to be raised and removed, with the gear 22 and socket shaft 23 attached thereto, from the end of the shaft 24, which socket. shaft 23 can then be placed on the new roller die and replaced within the frame, thereby greatly simplifying the changing of the roller dies and making a strong and durable joint between the parts.

The lower gears of the intermeshing pairs of gears 22 are connected by gears 28.

large driving gear 29 is keyed on the opposite end of the shaft of a lower central roll from that upon which the gear 22 is attached. The driving gear 29 meshes in a gear 30 on the auxiliary driving shaft 31 which shaft 31 also bears'a gear 32 which meshes in a gear 33 on the main driving shaft 34, which main driving'shaft has the pulleys35 keyed thereon, a belt shifter 36 being provided for throwing the machine into and out of operation.

The pairs of roller dies 26 are arranged in series so as to gradually bend and shape the sheet metal strip 37 into the desired shape. Many of the bends, however, are diflicult to attain in the roller dies and are much more quickly and easily attained in fixed dies inwhich the tongues and grooved surfaces may be curved or even spiral in form, as shown at 55in Fig. 6,-or 56 in Fig. 8, thus accompishing a large amount of work in one fixed die. Accordingly, the roller dies and fixed dies are arranged alternately in series so that the sheet metal. strip is. progressively shaped. The fixed edge dies 54 are also provided at the tntrance betweenrthe first pair of roller' dies so that the strip 37 is ided correctly into said dies. The fixed s aping and bending and guiding dies 38 are generally provided one between each two pairs of rolls. The upper arid lower rolls of the roller dies 26 are adjusted by the springs 20 and screws 21 so as to give the required opening be tween the roller or the pressure upon the metal strip, the shape or contour of the rolls being varied so as to progressively bend the sheet metal.

The roller dies are of course necessary to feed the sheet metal strip 37 through the fixed dies and the machine. There are also certain shaping manipulations of the sheet metal which can be better performed on the roller dies than on the fixed dies, as for example sharp corners and definite impressions, and there are other bends that can be better attained by the fixedidies. Hence the two cooperate together to attain the shaping and bending andguiding far better than either one used alone. It is apparent that if the fixed dies were used by themselves a draw'bench would be necessary to pull the stock through the dies, whereas in my construction the roller dies perform this office.

The fixed dies 38 are attached by means of screw-bolts across the space between the inner sidesof the blocks 14 of the frames 12 and 13 so that the openings through said fixed dies are in line with the openings between the roller dies 26. The fixed dies are arranged in series with the roller dies to cooperate therewith; thus in the series of fixed dies shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9, the first three fixed dies are closed so as to hold the stock firmly in line and ress it into the desired shape in order to orm the channel 39 in the molding or frame side 40.

Thus the first two pairs of roller dies do not have the fixed die therebetween, being mamas am:

only general fonning rolls to start the metal into shape. The first fixed die 41,

as shownin' Fig. 4, has on its lower surface the general forming contours of the secondpair of roller dies and has'also the addition of the assisting roller 42 rotatively mounted within the die opening to aid the point of heaviestpressure so that the frictional draw of the sheet' metal will not be so great as to be fairly prohibitive or so that the roller dies cannot feed the sheet metal strip 37 through the machine. The roller 42 also holds the last end of the strip 37 perfectly in line so that it is correctly formed. The inner sides of the opening in the die 41 are curved and shaped to Continue the bending and shaping process started by the two first pairs of roller dies 26, and the central curve 43 is more pronounced to force the sheet metal up into the spool shaped roller 42 as it is held firmly in line by the inner sides of the fixed metal die.

The next pair of rollers 26 continues the shaping and bending process and the next fixed die 44 has the addition of a central tongue 45 Which forces the sheet metal up against the spool shaped roller-46 which is practically the same as the roller 42 in die 41. The die 44 also has the groove 47 at one go side to give clearance to the flanged edge 48 of the molding 40 and start the formation of the same, which formation is continued in the fourth pair of roller dies and still more perfectly shaped by the project- ;5 ing tongue 49 on the next fixed die 50 of the series. This die also has a central tongue 51 which'holds the'groove 39 in shape and forms the sides more perfectly, preparing the nearly formed molding for the fifth pair Lo of rollswhich accomplishes much in perfecting the shape of the different parts. The fourth fixed die 52 of the series has the tongue but is an open-topped die, it being only necessary to hold the parts in perfect i5 form to close up certain of the openings between the sheet metal walls preparatory to entering the fifth pair of roller dies 26 and the fifth fixed die 53, which practically finish the closing process, the last pair of i0 roller dies only perfecting the drawing of the metal into line. The fixed die 53 has a rearwardly extending horn 57 which engages in the channel 58 of the adjacent edge portion of the metal strip and which inclines 5 toward the opposite edge 59 for bending or moving the channel 58 over into contact with the opposite edge portion as the strip enters the last rollers, said rollers bending down the edge 59 and locking the edges toso gether. The horn 57 extends rearwardly to cotiperate with the last rollers in bending and clenching the edge 59 about the free edge of the channel 58 to form the flange 48, as shown in Fig. 26. 7 i5 As hereinbefore stated, the larger part of the bending and shaping of the sheet metal strip 37 is attained in the fixed 'dies rather than in the roller dies. This is made specially obvious when spiral bends have to be made in the shaping up of the sheet metal, as is so often the case. It is apparent that a single pair of roller dies cannot give a spiral bend but only one step in that spiral bend and that in order to give a spiral bend with roller dies a series of pairs must be employed, whereas in a fixed die the sides may be spirally curved or otherwise ton ed and grooved so as to accomplish in one iied die that which would take many pairs of roller dies in the bending of the sheet metal.

The fixed die also will attain the shaping and bending necessary to close a molding far better than a pair of roller dies, that is,

.much more can be accomplished by a single fixed die than by one pair of roller dies, hence withroller dies to draw the stock or strip through the fixed dies and add a step in the process of shaping and bendin the two forms of dies cooperate in a pecu iarly tion to addadditional rollers to the fixed dies should there be more than a single point of heavy frictional pressure of. the sheet metal in the fixed die. Those portions of the fixed dies which receive the greatest wear are preferably faced with hardened steel plates so as to form the molding'with the least wear on the dies and keep the dies in perfect form for a much greater length of time.

The shape of tubular molding of the frame side 40 is chosen as a representative molding showing some of the hardest prob lems presented in the drawing of sheet metal molding. It is apparent that opensided sheet metal molding ma be drawn in the same manner as the tubu ar molding.-

I claim as new:

1. In a sheet metal bending and shaping" machine, means for feeding a metal strip and bending it'between its edges to'provide a channel in one side adjacent the free .edge portion thereof with which the free edge of the opposing side is to interlock, a pair of rollers for bending the latter edge over the channeled edge when the two edge portions are brought into contacting relation,

and a fixed die having a horn extending therefrom transversely of the path of the strip to engage in the channel of the strip for moving the. adjacent free edge/ portion into contacting relation with the other'edgc portion of thestrip for action thereon by 1 said pair of rollers, said horn further servgroove, a bending and guiding section secured to the block on'each side of the groove, Y

and a top plate connecting'the bending and guiding sections and having a pair of bracket extensions depending between the bending and guiding sections and over the die section, and a roller journaled in the bracket extensions.

3. In a sheet metalshaping and bending an upwardly facing groove, a die section seated in the block machine, a fixed guiding and shaping die v comprising a base block having a central upwardl facing cut-out portion formed with a otto m groove constituting a seat for a die section, a die section engaged in said seat of the base, block and a bending and guiding section on each side of the cut-out portion of the base block removably secured to the upper face of the latter, said bending and guiding sections opposing one another with their opposing edges converging toward one another, one of said edges being provided with a rib also extending in converging relation to the opposing edge.

In testimon whereof I have affixed my signature in t e presence oftivo witnesses.

FRANK S. VERNON.

Witnesses H. A. SANDBERG, HAROLD FoRsBERo. 

